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Better than store-bought Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Yes, you can make cinnamon toast crunch at home. It’s way easier than you think, and yes, it will be better than the boxed stuff, so much better. This cereal is extra crunchy, has a touch of butter, is flaky, perfectly sweet, and heavy on the cinnamon. Every bite is roll your eyes back good. It’s best enjoyed any time of day…with milk, as an ice cream topping, or simply by the handfuls.

overhead photo of Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal in bowl with milk being poured over cereal

Well, this is an exciting Tuesday. We’re making homemade cinnamon toast crunch and it’s truly one of my best recipes yet.

You guys? This cereal is so good. It brings back all the best childhood memories. And honestly, it’s not only a million times better than the boxed stuff, but it’s also simple to make. If you can roll out pie dough, you can bake up your own homemade cinnamon toast crunch cereal. Plus…it’s going to be so fun!

prep photo of Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch on baking sheet before baking

cinnamon toast crunch before baking 

close up prep photo of cinnamon toast crunch before baking

The Inspiration.

There was a lot of inspiration from different places for this recipe, so let me walk you through it all.

First and foremost, as a kid cinnamon toast crunch was my favorite cereal (then Cheerios, but I was never that into any other cereals). I’m really not sure how one could not love cinni toast crunch…it’s one of the best cereals out there. If the boxed stuff wasn’t so bad for me, I’d probably still eat it regularly. I’ll forever love anything cinnamon toast.

Two, after making homemade Twix bars, homemade Chocolate Fudge Pop Tarts, and then, homemade Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts, I was left wanting to create more homemade versions of my childhood favorites. Something about quarantine life has left me wanting all the nostalgic foods from my past. Is that weird? I don’t know, but I sure am having a lot of fun creating (and improving) on the boxed foods we all ate (and loved) growing up.

overhead photo of Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch after baking on baking sheet

Next, most everyone is home right now. Many of you are home with your kids and they are bored. I don’t personally have kids, but I have my little sister, Asher, visiting me often…and she is bored. Asher’s favorite cereal? Cinnamon Toast Crunch…though she’s never had the boxed kind. My parents just don’t buy that stuff anymore (correction – Asher says she has had it at her cousins in Cleveland). But I’ve made this homemade version before and Asher has always loved it. When I told her what I was making on Sunday, her eyes widened with excitement and we had a lot of fun baking this together. So, my point? This is a great recipe to bake up if you have bored kids at home.

And finally, with summer so close, I feel like a bowl of homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch would be the perfect lazy summer morning breakfast. No cooking, just add cold milk…a chill laid back morning with a bowl of sweet, crunchy breakfast cereal.

overhead photo of Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch in cereal bowl before adding milk

Pretty darn close to perfect, right?

PS. dying to know what everyone’s favorite cereal was/is? Are you all about Cinnamon Toast Crunch? What’s your favorite? Please…do share.

Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch in mug with milk being poured over cereal

Here are the steps…

This cinnamon toast crunch cereal is simple. As I mentioned, if you can roll out pie dough, you can make cinnamon toast crunch. It’s a very simple mix of whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, butter, vanilla, and a touch of sugar too. Just seven ingredients. All of which you can find in your pantry and fridge.

At least that’s my hope.

The cinnamon adds flavor directly to the dough. The butter creates a flaky bite, the vanilla adds flavor, and the sugar sweetens it all up. Start by mixing together the cinnamon and sugar. See, super simple.

overhead close up photo of Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch in bowl with milk

Now, mix up the dough. I like using the food processor to easily mix the dough and create the flakiest, crunchiest cereal, but you can simply use your hands as well. Once the dough is mixed, it’s time to roll it out.

The key is to roll the dough pretty thin, I’m talking about the thickness of a quarter. This will give you the crunchiest cereal.

Once the dough is rolled out, I then transfer it to a sheet of parchment paper, brush with butter, and sprinkle with that cinnamon sugar. At this point, cut the dough into little tiny squares.

overhead photo of Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Next, transfer the parchment paper to a baking sheet and separate the squares, spacing them apart. After a lot of testing, I find the method of cutting the dough first and then transferring to a baking sheet to be the easiest, and to work the best.

Finally, you bake. No chilling needed, just bake for a little over ten minutes, the smells are wonderful. You can eat warm, but these are best once cool. As they cool they become crunchy and so delish.

And that’s pretty much it. Could not be simpler, and the end result is roll your eyes back good.

side angled photo of Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch in coffee mug

The real question…do they taste like the original?

Well, I don’t know for sure. It’s been a while since I had my last bowl of cinnamon toast crunch, but this cereal does taste really, really good. And if my memory serves me correctly, yes these taste just like cinnamon toast crunch. But Asher says…better. You can really taste the real cinnamon with undertone flavors of vanilla and sweet butter.

And everyone’s second question…can you enjoy this cereal with milk? YES, you can. And it’s beyond GOOD. It’s also great by the handful or when served atop ice cream or even yogurt. The options are endless, but for me, it’s best with cold milk or just by the handful for snacking. What’s your pick?

And guys, that’s about it. This cereal is the simplest to make and every single ingredient is a pantry staple. Meaning you have zero excuses to not bake these up this week. Promise it will be fun, and yes, so delicious!

overhead photo of Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch in spoon

Watch The How To Video:

Looking for other homemade favorites? Here are a few…

Chocolate Fudge Pop Tarts

Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts

Homemade Vegan Twix Bars

Homemade Healthy Samoas Cookies

Lastly, if you make this homemade cinnamon toast crunch cereal, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 Cups
Calories Per Serving: 570 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make the cinnamon sugar. In small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon cinnamon and the sugar.
    2. In a food processor, combine the whole wheat flour, flour, remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, salt, and butter. Pulse until the mix clumps together to form pea-size balls. Add the vanilla, and 1/2 cup cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together and forms a ball. If the dough feels dry, add 1-2 tablespoons additional water.
    3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and form into a ball. Divide the dough in half. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll the dough as thin as you can, preferably an 1/8-inch thick (about the thickness of a quarter). Transfer the dough to a large piece of parchment paper. Brush the dough with melted butter and sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar, gently pressing the sugar into the dough. Cut into 1/2-inch squares. Repeat with the remaining dough.
    4. Carefully transfer the parchment paper to a baking sheet. Separate the squares, spacing them a 1/2 inch apart.
    5. Bake 12-14 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Enjoy...with milk, a top ice cream, or simply by the handful.

Notes

To Make Gluten Free: Use an equal amount of your favorite gluten free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour. I recommend Cup4Cup gluten free flour
If you don't have a Food Processor: You can use your fingers to mix the butter with the flour until the butter is pea sized. Slowly drizzle in the cold water as directed.
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overhead horizontal photo of Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch in bowl with milk

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Comments

    1. Yay!! Love to hear this, Amaal! Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment! Have a great Sunday! xT

  1. 5 stars
    Love it. I can’t for the life of me figure out how to get the cinnamon sugar on both sides. I tried cooking the drizzling with more butter and adding more sugar, just adding more sugar to the bag when it’s cooled down. I did add more cinnamon and vanilla to my dough. I felt it needed something extra. Next time I will try nutmeg maybe? Or a little brown sugar? Over all. Super pleased and it’s one few ‘sweets’ I’ve kept down this pregnancy. #Winning

    1. Hi Victoria,
      Thank you so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Some brown sugar might be yummy to add next time, let me know how that works for you! xx

    2. I used two silicone mats. I rolled it out on one, sprinkled the sugar and cinnamon, then put the other mat on top of it and did a quick flip. You may need to assist the dough in releasing from the original mat, but it should come off fairly easily. Now your un-seasoned side should be facing up and you can sprinkle the seasoning on it. Personally, I felt it needed seasoning on both sides and more sugar for a sweeter taste but I know everyone has different tastes.

  2. 1 star
    This was terrible. 🙈 I don’t know if I did something wrong… I feel like I did cause the other reviews are great, but man oh man this was so disappointing. Maybe my expectations were too high. The OG is hard to compete with… please know it’s nothing personal! It just did not turn out good for me whatsoever.

    1. Hi Kelso,
      So sorry to hear you did not enjoy this recipe!! Was there anything you may have adjusted? Lol it definitely isn’t the original:) Let me know how I can help! xT

    1. Hey Ashton,
      Thanks so much! I’m so glad your family enjoys this recipe, thanks for making it so often! Have a great week:) xT

  3. Question about the thickness of the dough. You mention 1/8 inch and thickness of a quarter. A quarter is 1/16 which is half as thick as 1/8. Which should it be closer to? I did it once and it was way too thick. It was probably 1/8 but maybe even just a tad thicker so 1/16 or quarter thickness seems better. Can you confirm?

    1. Hey Jason,
      Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! I would go ahead and roll thinner to your liking! I hope this helps! xx

  4. Hi Tieghan! I’ve made these once and they were amazing! I’m thinking of making these and wrapping them individual baggies as part of my christmas cookie box as a twist! How long do you think they last, and do you have suggestions for keeping them fresh?
    Thank you!

    1. Hey Kate,
      Happy Wednesday!! I truly appreciate you giving this recipe a try and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was a hit:) These are good in an airtight container for up to 1 week! xT

    2. Question, can you use fake butter? My girls are lactose intolerant and so I can put butter into my recipes.

      Thank you

  5. GIRL you never miss! Made this for a lazy Sunday breakfast and it was perfect – crispy with a bit of crunch from the cinnamon sugar topping, and it didn’t get soggy in the milk (even after I spent several minutes taking pictures ?). Amazing recipe, thank you Tieghan!

          1. Hi Kathy,
            Sorry, not much you can do:) Add preservatives, but then they would be like the grocery store cereal. xx

    1. Hi Chelsea,
      Happy Monday! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it and sharing your feedback!! Have the best week:) xx

  6. 5 stars
    Absolutely incredible! I needed to roll mine just a touch thinner and cut smaller as per your description but they still turned out really delicious. Very simple to make. This will be in a monthly rotation for my kids. Thank you!

  7. I haven’t made this yet because I’m not like the amount of butter. Wondering if coconut oil can replace some of the butter or maybe all.

    1. Hi Laurie,
      Sorry, for this recipe you will want to use all of the butter. Let me know if you give it a try:) xTieghan

  8. 5 stars
    Hello,

    I was wondering if I could make this recipe using buckwheat flour or chickpea flour and if I could put maple syrup instead of the granulated sugar.

    Thank you,
    Iqra.

    1. Hey there,
      So sorry, neither of those would work well for you! I would recommend following this recipe as is:) Please let me know if you give it a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan

  9. 5 stars
    This was very good. It made about 6 servings total and we finished it in 3 days (2 bowls per day). It’s just…. it felt odd knowing that we literally ate 2 sticks of butter for breakfast over 3 days. This isn’t a complaint because we knew what we were getting into lol

    1. So that would be 1 stick of butter per person divided by 3, which comes to 2.6 Tablespoons per day. It’s a lot, but some people would eat that much on a bunch of pancakes.

  10. Thank you for sharing this! Do you have any suggestions on making it store longer?
    We are big cereal eaters in our home, so I’d love to try making this in bulk.

    1. Hi Brooke,
      Sorry, since this is a homemade cereal without any preservatives, you can only store for a week. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan

  11. Hey, so I tried this out a couple of times, and don’t get me wrong they’re good! But I’m a little bugged on some things. Though I appreciate that they aren’t hard like most other recipes I have tried, they are simply not crunchy! They don’t go soggy in milk, which is good, but they have no real crunch. Also, while I didn’t mind using butter on the first go round, the amount of butter is just outrageous as a day to day meal. I’ve tried some experiments but it’s got me a little stumped. I like them, and definitely recommend them, but I feel that they need a little work, and I would be thrilled for any suggestions! Either way I will definitely have them now and again!

    1. Hey Layla,
      Thanks for giving the recipe a try, sorry you are having issues. Is there anything you are adjusting in the recipe? in regards to the amount of butter, I wouldn’t recommend eating this daily, it is definitely a treat:) xTieghan

      1. Well I hadn’t changed anything at first aside from using more all purpose flour instead of pastry, but I experimented afterwards. Also I decided to try one last idea last night, and I think I’ve done it and have tweaked the recipe to my satisfaction! I’m really happy with it now, and big thanks for the recipe, couldn’t have done it without yours! ?

    2. 3 stars
      As written, this recipe is very similar to pie crust. I read the comments about it not being very crunch (and being highly caloric), and reworked it based on a cracker recipe. I used 1.5 c white flour, 1.5 c whole wheat pastry flour mixed with 2 TB of the cinnamon sugar mentioned above plus 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 cup melted butter, and 1 tsp vanilla. Pulsed in food processor with 1 cup cold water until a ball formed. Rolled out and brushed with butter and a heavy dose of cinnamon sugar as mentioned. Baked at 425 for 12-13 minutes. I think the texture is a big improvement.

    3. We’re all adults here, I don’t think any of us thought that a sugar covered cereal was supposed to be a day to day meal.